"Birth Test"

Your birth date describes who we are, what we are good at and
What our inborn abilities are. It also points to what we have to learn
And the challenges we are facing. To figure out your Birth Number, add
All the numbers in the Birth Date together, like in the example, until
There is only one digit.

A Birth Number does not prevent you from being
Anything you want to be, it will just colour your choice
Differently and give you a little insight.
     Example March 20, 1950 
    3 + 20 + 1950 = 1973
    1 + 9 + 7 + 3 = 20
    2 + 0 = 2
Keep going until you end up with a single digit number.  #2 is
The Birth Number to read for the birth date in the example.
    #1 THE ORIGINATOR
    #2 THE PEACEMAKER
    #3 THE LIFE OF THE PARTY
    #4 THE CONSERVATIVE
    #5 THE NONCONFORMIST
    #6 THE ROMANTIC
    #7 THE INTELLECTUAL
    #8 THE BIG SHOT
    #9 THE PERFORMER


# 1 - THE ORIGINATOR 1 's are originals.
Coming up with new ideas and executing them is natural. Having things
Their own way is another trait that gets them as being stubborn and
Arrogant. 1's are extremely honest and do well to learn some diplomacy
Skills.
    They like to take the initiative and are often leaders or
Bosses, as they like to be the best.
Being self-employed is definitely helpful for them. Lesson to
Learn. Others' ideas might be just as good or better and to stay open
Minded.

Famous 1's: Tom Hanks, Robert Redford, Hulk Hogan, Carol Burnett, Wynona
Judd, Nancy Reagan, Raquel Welch. 

#2 - THE PEACEMAKER 2's are the born diplomats. 
They are aware Of others' needs and moods and often think of others before
themselves. Naturally analytical and very intuitive they don't like to be alone.
Friendship and companionship is very important and can lead them to be
Successful in life, but on the other hand they'd rather be alone than in an
uncomfortable relationship. Being naturally shy they should learn to boost
their self-esteem and express themselves freely and seize the
Moment and not put things off.

Famous 2's President Bill Clinton, Madonna, Whoopee Goldberg,Thomas
Edison, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.

# 3 - THE LIFE OF THE PARTY 3's are idealists.
They are very creative, social, charming, romantic, and easygoing. They
start many things, but don't always see them through. They like others to be
happy and go to great lengths to achieve it. They are very popular and
idealistic. They should learn to see the world from a more realistic point
of view.

Famous 3's: Alan Alda, Ann Landers, Bill Cosby, Melanie Griffith,
Salvador Dali, Jodi Foster

# 4 - THE CONSERVATIVE 4's are sensible and traditional.
They like order and routine. They only act when they fully understand what
They are expected to do. They like getting their hands dirty and working
hard. They are attracted to the outdoors and feel an affinity with nature.
They are prepared to wait and can be stubborn and persistent. They should
learn to be more flexible and to be nice to themselves.

Famous 4's Neil Diamond, Margaret Thatcher, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Tina
Turner, Paul Hogan, Oprah Winfrey

# 5 - THE NONCONFORMIST 5's are the explorers.
Their natural curiosity, risk taking, and enthusiasm often land them in hot
water. They need diversity, and don't like to be stuck in a rut. The whole
world is their school and they see a learning possibility in every situation
The questions never stop. They are well advised to look before they take
action and make sure they have all the facts before jumping to conclusions.

Famous 5's Abraham Lincoln, Charlotte Bronte, Jessica Walter, Vincent
Van Gogh, Bette Midler, Helen Keller and Mark Hail.

# 6 - THE ROMANTIC 6's are idealistic and need to feel useful to be happy.
A strong family connection is important to them. Their actions
influence their decisions. They have a strong urge to take care of others
and to help. They are very loyal and make great teachers. They like art or
music. They make loyal friends who take the friendship
Seriously. 6's should learn to differentiate between what they can
Change and what they cannot.

Famous 6's: Albert Einstein, Jane Seymour, John Denver, Merly Steep,
Christopher Columbus, Goldie Hawn

#7 - THE INTELLECTUAL 7's are the searchers.
Always probing for hidden information, they find it difficult to accept
things at face value. Emotions don't sway their decisions. Questioning
everything in life, they don't like to be questioned themselves.
They're never off to a fast start, and their motto is slow and steady
Wins the race. They come across as philosophers and being very
Knowledgeable, and sometimes as loners.
    They are technically inclined and make great researchers
Uncovering information. They like secrets. They live in their own world and
should learn what is acceptable and what is not in the world at large.

Famous 7's: William Shakespeare, Lucille Ball, Michael Jackson, Joan 
Baez, Princess Diana

# 8 - THE BIG SHOT 8's are the problem solvers.
They are professional, blunt and to the point, have good judgment and are
decisive. They have grand plans and like to live the good life. They
take charge of people. They view people objectively. They let you know
in no uncertain terms that they are the boss. They should learn to exude
their decisions on their own needs rather than on what others want.

Famous 8's Edgar Cayce, Barbra Streisand, George
Harrison, Jane Fonda, Pablo Picasso, Aretha Franklin, and Nostrodamus

#9 - THE PERFORMER 9's are natural entertainers.
They are very caring and generous, giving away their last dollar to help.
With their charm, they have no problem making friends and nobody is a stranger to
them. They have so many different personalities that people around them have
a hard time understanding them. They are like chameleons, ever changing and
blending in. They have tremendous luck, but also can suffer from extremes in
fortune and mood.
To be successful, they need to build a loving foundation.

Famous 9's Albert Schweitzer, Shirley MacLaine, Harrison Ford, Jimmy
Carter, Elvis Presley 

Peringkat Selingkuh Berdasarkan ZODIAK

T A U R U S (21 April - 20 Mei)
Peringkat 1 : Kesetiaannya luar biasa dan paling dapat diandalkan. Bagi
beberapa zodiac tertentu, Taurus kadangkala dianggap pribadi yang agak
membosankan dalam hubungan interaksi karena cenderung berkutat dalam
hitungan "berhemat-hemat" atau paling tidak dianggap keras kepala.

C A N C E R (21 Juni - 22 Juli)
Peringkat 2 : Ratu Rumahan yang setia, selalu ingin merawat pasangannya.
Sensitivitas tinggi membuatnya sangat berhati-hati untuk tidak dilukai dan
melukai. Cancer terkesan menutup rapat diri yang membuat beberapa zodiac
tertentu menjadi tidak sabar karena makan waktu untuk berinteraksi
dengannya.

V I R G O (23 Agustus - 22 September)
Peringkat 3 : Sangat hati-hati memilih pasangan. Ketemu satu saja sudah
bikin "capek", jadi boro-boro mau "main-mata"lagi..Kerap lumayan rewel dan
kritis yangmenunjukkan betapa besar perhatiannya pada seseorang. Bagi
beberapa zodiac tertentu,Virgo adalah tipe yang kerewelan dan kritiknya
kadang bisa bikin orang lain tersinggung.

C A P R I C O R N (23 Desember - 20 Januari)
Peringkat 4 : Pemikiran akan rencana-rencananya sangat menyita waktunya.
Cenderung berkutat seputar pemikiran akan rencana-rencananya. Bagi
beberapa zodiac tertentu, Capricorn terkesan membatasi diri dalam hubungan
interaksi dengan lainnya. Selingkuh hanya intermezzo kala jenuh.

A Q U A R I U S (21 Januari - 19 Februari)
Peringkat 5 : Tidak suka selingkuh, tapi menghindari komitmen yang
membutuhkan keterlibatan emosional yang dalam. Aquarius cenderung berpikir
dan bertindak tegas. Bagi beberapa zodiac tertentu, ia terkesan sangat
radikal. Bila ia sampai selingkuh, berarti itu caranya yang "radikal"
untuk mengakhiri hubungan dengan pasangan yang tidak mampu mengikuti pola
pikirnya.

L I B R A ( 23 September - 22 Oktober)
Peringkat 6 : Paling sukar menentukan pilihan dan mengalami kesulitan
dalam mengungkapkan diri sendiri. Karena kerap berpikiran mendua mengenai
segala sesuatu, bagi beberapa zodiac tertentu, Libra kadang terkesan penuh
rahasia dan cenderung sulit dipahami.

G E M I N I (21 Mei - 20 Juni)
Peringkat 7 : Harus dimanja agar tidak selingkuh Selalu ingin dimanja dan
diperhatikan oleh pasangannya. Bagi beberapa zodiac tertentu, Gemini
adalah tipe yang gampang berubah-ubah.

S A G I T A R I U S (23 November - 22 Desember)
Peringkat 8 : Gampang tergoda untuk selingkuh. Karakter dasar yang
ekspansif maka ia gampang tergoda untuk hal-hal yang "baru", begitu pula
dalam hubungan. Bagi beberapa zodiac tertentu, Sagitarius adalah tipe
cemerlang yang penuh vitalitas hidup.

A R I E S ( 21 Maret - 20 April)
Peringkat 9 : Perlu dipantau agar gairah kehangatannya tidak berlebihan.
Antusiasme dalam diri membuat gairahnya selalu berkobar untuk ber
"petualang" dalam segala hal. Bagi beberapa zodiac tertentu, Aries adalah
tipe yang hangat dalam hubungan interaksi.

L E O ( 23 Juli - 22 Agustus)
Peringkat 10 : Kesetiaannya diliputi ego yang tinggi. Egonya yang tinggi
membuat kesetiaannya sangat berpamrih, yaitu rela mengalah dalam banyak
hal untuknya. Bagi beberapa zodiac tertentu, Leo adalah tipe yang
"menawan."

S C O R P I O (23 Oktober - 22 November)
Peringkat 11 : Tak akan membiarkan setiap godaan lewat begitu saja. Godaan
bisa berarti perhatian baginya dan jarang diabaikannya. Scorpio senang
menjadi populer sebagai si pecinta ulung. Bagi beberapa zodiac tertentu,
Scorpio adalah tipe pecinta yang ekspresif.

P I S C E S (20 Februari - 20 Maret)
Peringkat 12 : Si Peselingkuh yang mengaku setia. Demikian romantis dia...
perselingkuhan adalah nuansa indah dalam hidupnya.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/jakarta_xchannel/message/62

Sebuah renungan "craftmanship" yang hilang.

" Ketika sebuah eksekusi tentang seni menghadapi jalan buntu,
jangan jadikan keindahan sebuah unsur yang paling penting,
tapi cari jalan keluarnya, maka keindahan itu akan datang dengan sendirinya
ketika kita keluar dari kebuntuan tersebut. "

Sebuah renungan craftmanship yang hilang.

pagi semua

hmmm... pagi yang indah
tersenyum dan bernyanyi
untukku melangkahi hari

nyanyi angin mendinginkan
suasana hati.

kamu (aku) harus kuat

" Kalau kamu (aku) jatuh sebanyak tiga kali,
maka kamu (aku) harus bangun sebanyak empat kali.
Artinya kamu (aku) memang orang yang kuat menghadapi segalanya. "

sebuah motivasi untukmu (ku)

Getting into advertising

Advertising work can be both demanding and rewarding in equal measure. The trick is to make yourself an indispensable link between brands and the buying public, connecting the value of one to the needs of the other...

In the battle for the hearts and minds of modern consumers, creativity has become the weapon of choice for self-conscious brands. And while this job becomes increasingly dif. cult as audiences grow ever more critical, new opportunities for advertising have arisen. As traditional mediums have fractured and new ones enter the fray, advertising strives even harder not to look like advertising. For the creative professional, there’s rarely been more potential.

But despite these changes, one thing that seems to remain constant is the seemingly stoic approach taken by the industry to newcomers. This is one field which will never knowingly tolerate anything less than the best from its talent. Unfortunately, knowing what constitutes the best isn’t always that easy and the aforementioned fracturing isn’t helping the situation either.

From TV, the web, print and illustration, we’ve consulted a selection of experienced individuals from advertising’s various media to see what knowledge can be gleaned from their hard work. The ad world, it seems, isn’t all that hard to understand.

Which would you like first?
The good news is that the advertising industry values its raw materials. As a working illustrator, Henry Obassi has direct experience: “In advertising there is a de. nite element of respect that I personally have experienced from the majority of agencies.” That’s comforting news and frequently at odds with experiences in other avenues, as Henry is happy to testify: “This is definitely not the case with other areas of the commercial market involving illustrative commissions, where blatant piss-taking has become commonplace.”

Paul Matthaeus is CEO and Chief Creative Officer of Seattle-based ad production firm Digital Kitchen, and he agrees that the creative still has leverage: “Advertising is still embraced as a valuable endeavour by the world’s major brands,” he says. “Spot advertising is a highly concentrated and mercurial art form – it demands a lot from the creative.” Put these two factors together and you have a lucrative but very closely scrutinised handshake between the creative and commercial worlds.

And, of course, the business is renowned for its professionalism, which can be both a blessing and a curse, as Henry Obassi explains: “When ad agencies are commissioning, they know exactly what they want visually, making illustrators’ lives relatively straightforward.” That’s a good thing if you’re fully on top of what you do, but the concept has a wider application. “Generally speaking, just be professional in all matters concerned with the job,” says Henry. He means all aspects: “Shit, like time keeping, being contactable, being prepared to change images with minimum fuss.” These sound like small beer next to the production of great visuals, but the ad game is much more about relationships.

Bill Cumming is Creative Director at graphic design firm The Nest. Having just joined forces with ad agency St Luke’s, Bill and his team have an interesting viewpoint. His opening remark keeps the theme going: “In advertising there are more retained relationships with clients. Most other types of design work are project based.” This means you need to be able to communicate. “This might take longer than working on a project-to-project basis,” he says, but it gives you the opportunity to develop an understanding and even produce some interesting work.

The right stuff
So what qualities does it take to break into the advertising game? “Many, which makes this field tough to penetrate,” says Paul Matthaeus. He gives a few examples that always go down well: “Classically trained designers that work fluidly in motion; animators that work with music; designers that are strong conceptualists.” It looks like you need to be able to bridge a lot of gaps.

A former Director of Photography, Peter Thwaites now works as a Commercial Director at premier ad production company Gorgeous. He fits the multi-skilled bill pretty neatly.

Unsurprisingly, he sees things similarly to Paul: “It’s different to other types of work – you’re the head of a creative process.” This position is compounded by the scale of the operation: “It’s smaller, so by definition more has to be generated from me than a team, as it would in a larger production.”

Bill Cumming comes at it from another angle: “I’d say the need for teamwork is important.” This isn’t the contradiction it seems because if you can’t do it yourself, you have to be able to pull together. “You need to be open to ideas wherever they come from,” he says. “You also need the ability to think fast and be critically objective.” Paul meets him there: “Naturally, some of our people are better at one than the other, but it’s our job to make those disciplines coalesce in a way that delivers a very precise intangible.”

And the greater part of teamwork is understanding what your fellow team-mates do. Henry illustrates the point: “When I work I am constantly aware of how my work is to be produced. Having that understanding makes life easier for the art director.” All of this helps you develop a good working relationship so that the technicalities become less of an obstacle to the production of top-class work.

The rigours of difference
But there’s more to it than that: advertising has an insatiable appetite for originality. Few insiders would disagree with Paul Matthaeus when he expresses his belief that: “It’s more demanding than casual spectators are inclined to believe. It’s very deceptive – so much needs to be taken into consideration: the brand aura, the competitive landscape, rewarding the consumer for their attention.”

None of this is straightforward, but what it means, according to Paul, is: “Getting this kind of work is based on a track record and that’s tough to develop given all the elements that go into it.” Henry will tell you the same thing: “Ad work can be harder to get, especially if your work is considered ‘niche’.” Somehow you have to offer the right blend of ‘the same but different’ so the agencies know what they’re getting and what they’re getting is ‘different’.

Web design company Unit9 is busy beautifying one of the newest and least understood outlets at the advertiser’s disposal. Yates Buckley, Technical Director, conveys the Unit9 proposition: “The difference is that our speciality is not in ‘producing’ but in ‘presenting’ online content.” If you didn’t get it first time, here it is again: “What makes Unit9 different is in the way we translate and communicate online content.” The point is that you have to understand your medium and offer a way to master, or at least tame it a little, on behalf of your client.

Yates also confirms what we’ve heard about the other media: “Advertising work is probably harder to get.” This is particularly true for independents: “A lot of advertising companies either have their own in-house interactive team or collaborate with a particular digital agency that produces most of their online content.” It’s relationships, you see. And what’s there at the beginning? “The first impression that’s left after visiting a site is like the first impression one gets by meeting someone in person,” says Yates. “It’s especially important if it serves as a selfpromotional tool.”

The brains behind it
“Rarely are we hired just as an executional arm without a brain attached,” says Paul Matthaeus. The usual experience at Digital Kitchen is that agencies are looking for something above and beyond, or as Paul himself puts it: “Usually our clients are asking us to plus their boards or scripts on some level.” And in spite of the generally conservative approach of most clients, advertising remains a field dedicated to breaking creativity: “Despite the corporate committees, ‘engineering consent’ to do interesting work is often less arduous in traditional advertising than with most entertainment studios,” says Paul. As in the US, so in the UK, “Believe it or not.”

The progress from client to production is pretty standard across the various media. Henry takes up the story: “The art director develops a campaign strategy to promote a particular brand. If it involves illustration as the main visual medium, he or she will shortlist image makers that fit with the concept.” This is when the artists in question will be called on to make their first contribution, to pitch for the work. Once the pitching stage is over, the artist will work in close collaboration with the art director till the fat lady sings.

Surprisingly, the artist is rarely pressurised to ‘sell sell sell’. “The agency comes up with the idea,” says Peter Thwaites. “My job is to find the best way to film it.” The art director meanwhile, acts as a kind of interface between artist and commerce: “Fundamentally my work isn’t about selling tomatoes,” Peter adds. “I’m there to interpret an idea. They are trying to sell tomatoes.” When you think about it, that makes sense – after all, if he were good at selling tomatoes, he’d be working on a market stall, not directing cameras.

It’s not all roses though, as Yates Buckley points out: “As we collaborate with the advertising industry, there’s not always the creative freedom that we might wish for.” But even here it’s a question of balance: “But simultaneously we’ve always felt able to contribute ideas and take part in the evolution of projects.” You have to be realistic, advertising is very highly scrutinised, measured and studied from all sides. There will inevitably be constraints.

Henry Obassi is totally down the line: “Advertising is always gonna be about the generation of money and that will never change.” This is neither good nor bad, says the artist: “I am not soap-boxing here.” Generally, creatives are involved because the agency believes they have what it takes to make a product attractive to the right people. “That for me is the most important thing to grasp,” says Henry. “Yes you want to create visually stunning work and have the general public empathise with your artistic catharsis, personal therapy or world messages for peace. But at the end of the day that is not why one was hired.”

(Don't fear) the filter

In recent years, Photoshop filters have developed a bit of an image problem. Now, thanks to the growing sophistication of the digital arts, the time may be ripe for their rehabilitation...

It wasn't always the case that the use of a Photoshop filter would earn you nothing but a knowing sneer from your audience. There was a time when the application of a Kai's Power Tool would actually cause onlookers' jaws to drop in honest amazement.

Nowadays, though, the majority of digital artists don't like to be caught hanging around anywhere near the Filter menu; it's become something of a guilty secret. But if they're pushed, most will admit to being regular filter users, usually starting with Gaussian Blur but often progressing to the harder stuff. The question that needs addressing is, can filters be used responsibly?

The problem

"When computers burst onto the scene, it was all about Photoshop filters and digital illustrations," says Henry Obasi, an illustrator who is proud of his practical skills, of his craft. Henry believes the early years of the digital revolution relied more heavily on the Filter menu: "It's like when artists discovered the Twirl filter years ago," he says, taking an example we're all familiar with. "Every illustration and its mother was twirled under the notion of 'Damn this shit looks cool. Look at what it does to the pictures!'."

"Lens Flare is classically overused. It has been since it came out really," says Antony Crossfield, Creative Director at London's top retouching studio Metro Imaging. "It's such an easy thing to do," he says, adding that the problem starts because, "People think it's a quick way to improve an image." This belief is subject to erosion over time, says Antony: "There's just not enough variation - the more you see it, the easier it is to notice." Eventually, every time you see that Lens Flare you downgrade your opinion of the image that contains it, just because you know how it was done.

John McFaul identifies the root cause of the problem. "Among the students I teach, 50 per cent of them just want instant results," he says. In essence, it's the perfectly natural desire for a quick solution that leads to an incautious rush to the Filter menu.

"You need to take a bit more time," says John, who's own approach to digital illustration draws on traditional techniques and intuitions. "Take the chance to open doors on new things. Maybe even get away from the computer for a bit..." he advises. The reaction and subsequent move away from using Photoshop filters is understandable as part of our growing digital sophistication. "It's about progress," says Henry.

Away from the computer

People were involved in disciplines such as photography, illustration and design long before the arrival of computers. In fact, the computer is still a relatively recent addition to the tools used for these disciplines. So much so that the digital world is just starting to make ground on the processes which analogue production invented.

John McFaul has a background in traditional media, and says: "Process is too important to me to readily accept a quick fix." His belief in the importance of process is echoed throughout the digital arts. "You've got to get your hands dirty," says Henry Obasi, going on to explain that you have to create images using inks, paints, oils or whatever you can find in order to truly appreciate the power that filters offer you as a graphic artist.

The right stuff

"In a broader sense, everything you do in Photoshop that changes an image is filtering," says Harald Heim of The Plugin Site. An obvious cheerleader for the Filter menu, Harald continues, "Taking that idea to its natural conclusion means purists would have to return to analog photography." Harald has a point, but what the 'purists' are advocating is a return to process, to craft.

"Illustration has been going from strength to strength in recent time," says John McFaul, who reckons the problem isn't just filters themselves but a general rise in illustration standards. He continues: "So if you're relying on filters then your work will look crude by comparison." The same is true in the world of high-end retouching. "Half the skill is to make it look like it wasn't used at all," says Antony Crossfield. "That's the guiding principle behind all the work we do."

This isn't a ban on filters, far from it: "They're a neat way to get things going quickly," says Antony. "But again, the main thing is to cover your tracks." The retouching business is clearly never going to endorse the heavy use of artistic filters but everything has its place: "There is potential in there - you just have to learn how to use them effectively."

Where and when

"The use of a filter is justified if it adds to the final image, but not when it's simply used with a 'because we can' attitude," so says Terry Steeley, designer, photographer and Photoshop maestro. John McFaul takes a similar position when he says, "The idea is first and foremost; the thing to avoid is looking like you have a filter with some artwork attached."

It's no good using the filters as a substitute for creativity, but as part of a solution they could be the perfect tool. "You have to treat it as something that needs exploring. Don't let it dictate," says John. Antony Crossfield agrees, adding: "You can use them to get somewhere but not as an end in themselves."

Terry Steeley says, "Good use is seldom the standard use of the filters without additional refinements." Heeding this advice, the central task is to rein in the power of these effects so that they don't dominate the work they're in. This power was what made them so immediately attractive; it's also what made them so quickly familiar. Now it's what makes them difficult to rehabilitate.

Plug-in potential

"There is potential in there - you just have to learn how to use them," says Antony Crossfield, highlighting the central issue. The filters themselves have done nothing wrong, it's their inexpert use which has caused the problem. Because of their obvious power and the extremity of their action on your pixels, you have to use them delicately.

Terry Steeley echoes Antony in believing filters will make a comeback: "I'm sure there's loads of potential, now that Photoshop has the new Filter Gallery enabling users to see how different combinations of filters and settings will appear." This development suggests that Adobe itself is aware of a need to finesse their filters.

Henry Obasi takes a similar line: "Interaction between the various filters can produce an infinite number of permutations and results, so of course there's potential there." The job of the artist is to find that potential: "Many may be bad, many may be good, but for the artist this can only be good in the long run."

Even Antony, the most dedicated retoucher, is willing to say a kind word: "Plastic Wrap is kind of tacky, but I like it. It looks a bit like being covered in dribble." We get the picture. The basic message seems to be that these are powerful items and if you want to avoid ending up like Mickey Mouse in The Sorcerer's Apprentice, you need to claw back the integrity of your image every time you use a filter.

Rediscovery

So what's inhibiting the re-uptake of the filter? Howard Wakefield of Saville Associates, one of the figures behind the development of Peter Saville's waste paintings, has an idea: "When do you have the time to play and experiment?" he asks.

By common consent, this is something you need plenty of time for, even if you only want a basic grasp of the possibilities. But, as Howard says, "There's always a deadline that needs priority, so taking the time to explore the possibilities of a filter is a luxury."

Those filters that work as shortcuts remain in use, but the exploration of their creative potential isn't something a jobbing illustrator has too much time for. "Over the last few weeks I've probably used most of them," says John McFaul, "but I know what's going to work."

But does this mean you can't touch the Filter menu till you've become old and wise? "You don't necessarily need years of experience. You just have to be willing to challenge yourself," says John. Henry Obasi puts it very neatly: "There are no rules, it's simply about whether they help you create a good piece of work.

Pitch Perfect

There’s much more to pitching than just turning up on a client’s doorstep with a good idea. Preparation is the key to success, says Mark Penfold

Here’s the thing: if you don’t sell your product then you don’t get paid. You can be as creative as you like, but if it doesn’t sell you might just find yourself hanging out with the Salvation Army crew, developing a taste for free soup.

The daunting concept of pitching is as old as the creative industries themselves, and it has been developed to a fine art by the best in the business. From film through to design and new media, there’s no escaping it.

The good news is that you only have to learn the basics once because, according to design marketing expert Shan Preddy: “The same principles apply whether you’re a freelancer working from your back bedroom for just one client, or a global player who has offices around the world.”

Who are you?
“Before you start marketing at all, you must have a very clear idea of where you want your business to be,” Preddy insists. As a respected consultant and the author of How to Market Design Consultancy Services: Finding, Winning, Keeping and Developing Clients, this is her area of specialisation. So pay attention.

“If you don’t have a clear vision for the business, your marketing is never going to be that effective,” says Preddy. So, there are some questions you need to ask beforehand: What exactly are you aiming for? What are you going to specialise in? And what do you want to be known for? Answer these thoroughly before you put yourself under the spotlight.

Though it didn’t have the benefit of Preddy’s guidance, that’s just what interactive agency Junction 18 did when considering incorporation. “Initially we were unsure of the market to go for,” admits the firm’s head of design, Mark Doyle. “The dot.com boom was over and web work was suddenly becoming hard to secure, so we decided to go down the interactive e-learning route.”

Which brings us neatly to Preddy’s second point: “Be very clear about what you or your company has to offer, what your strengths are, and what your weaknesses are compared with your competitors’.” In other words, try to find an angle that suits you and concentrate on it – you can always branch out in other directions later.

For Junction 18 it was simply a case of spotting the right opening, and Matt Button, co-founder of design consultants DS.Emotion, tells a similar story: “Back in the early days we focused on a particular industry – property marketing,” he explains.

DS.Emotion has now moved into the coveted “youth” market. “Today, if there’s a pitch in the offing, we like to think of ourselves as one of the top three in the country,” says Button. Consequently the pitch isn’t complete without the company. This is the situation you’re aiming for if a pitch is unavoidable. “I can’t endorse specialising enough,” he says.

Supply and demand
“You can only make a sale where your product meets a need that’s felt by someone else,” explains Preddy. “If that need isn’t there in the first place, no amount of selling skills will do you any good.” You must know what the market needs and make it perfectly obvious to everyone concerned that that’s exactly what you’ve got.

The amount of preparation that’s required even before you make that first call, send that first email or knock on that door, will determine your level of success. There’s an old army saying that Preddy is fond of: “Fail to prepare, prepare to fail”. In other words, you must know who you are, what you do, who wants it and what they’re like before you even think about contacting anyone.

“If you start with how they’ll find you without the prep you’re playing a dangerous game,” says Preddy. “It might work, but you’re not giving it the best shot. You’re not taking aim. So decide on the best way to reach them, find out what kind of language they use – really target your communication for a specific individual.”

When Paula Benson and Paul White set up London-based graphic design agency Form in 1991 they already had a good selection of contacts in the music industry, and they loved the work so it made sense for them to focus their efforts on that market. Still, it wasn’t an easy process, as Benson recalls: “It was a case of dragging our portfolio around London for several months and literally just seeing as many people as we could.”

That doesn’t mean you should take a scattergun approach, but visit a well-researched list of people, who are in a position, or may at some future time be in a position, to buy design work from you. “The only thing that works is to focus,” says Matt Button. “DS. Emotion has tried the wide-band approach and it just doesn’t work. By focusing you get to know more people in a specific business.”

After three years’ hard graft, that’s where Junction 18 has now found itself. “A lot of the work we get now is through word of mouth,” says Doyle. There may still be a pitch involved, but in marketing terms there is no substitute for a recommendation. That’s the guiding principle behind Button’s belief that, “our most powerful tool is our case studies.”

First contact
So you’ve decided who you are and what you do, and you also have snappy answers to those questions of Preddy’s. You’ve targeted your market and you know everything about them. The next stage is the fulcrum of the whole process. You must decide on your marketing strategy and approach.

However you first make contact, it must be as effective as possible. Once again, Preddy is ready with a battery of questions you need to ask yourself: “What do I want them to know? What do I want them to do next? How can I put this over so it will be relevant to them?” Follow up that first contact, too. “People don’t always make up their minds instantly,” she says, So be prepared to play the long game.

Button says you should use a steady, structured approach to your canvassing: “Even now we have a board in our office that reminds us of the letters that need sending out that week,” he admits. These letters are prompted by articles about new developments or a new brand that needs promoting. “You find out the name of the right person, do your research, then write to them,” says Button. The goal is to make them understand that by asking you in they are going to improve their business.

The next step
Assuming everything so far has gone according to plan, and there’s actually some work to be had, you will now find yourself in one of two situations. The most desirable is that you’ll just be asked to take on a project, no messing. But most likely you’ll be asked to pitch for the work in competition with other firms.

“We’re being asked to pitch a lot more now than we ever were,” says Benson. “Things have definitely changed. It’s just the marketplace at the moment. There isn’t so much work about; budgets are getting smaller and there are more designers than ever.” Clients therefore feel it’s acceptable to ask designers to pitch ideas without promise of payment. This, everyone is agreed, cannot be a good thing.

Pitches come in two distinct flavours; there’s the “credentials pitch”, a kind of professional introduction, that gives the prospective client a chance to find out how you work and for you to find out more about them. The second is the full-blown ideas pitch with a full brief where you will be expected to pull the creative rabbit out of the hat. This again has two flavours: paid and free.

“We’re asked all the time to come up with ideas,” says Benson, “but we decided a few years ago that we won’t do free pitches.” Form, along with a growing number of designers, has come to the conclusion that to work for free is to devalue your product. And, as Benson points out, if you don’t value yourself, why should anyone else?

Preparing for the big day
If you’re lucky enough to be paid for your pitch, or you’ve decided to go ahead and produce a pitch anyway, the next thing to consider is just how much work to put in. That, of course, depends on how much you want the job and how likely it is you’ll get it.

Doyle makes an interesting observation: “Sometimes you feel the whole thing is just a formality, that they’ve tendered the job out because they have to.” Under those circumstances you should of course cut back on the man-hours.

Button learned this lesson the hard way: “The longest pitch we’ve done took five people for three weeks to develop. This was for a big charity and, unfortunately, we didn’t win it.” The lesson here is a hard one. “You can go in having worked for weeks but your idea could be pipped by someone else who might have come up with theirs in an afternoon,” says Button.

According to Preddy, you should not see the time you invest as an invisible cost. Log the job as you would paid work, add up the costs and call that your marketing budget.

Before committing the money, consider whether it would be better to spend the money on a well-thought-out campaign rather than on marketing yourself to one person.

Face to face
“Our job is a bit like a psychologist’s,” says Benson. “Sussing out where the client is coming from, working out what’s going on in their heads.” On the big day there will be a complex set of unknowns sitting across the table from you, and it’s your job to convince them they need you to work for them.

You have to be professional and efficient, though. Right down to the way you actually present. Doyle says you should check your technical equipment repeatedly: “Make sure your laptop works, you know how their stuff works, and, importantly, be on time.” Identify who’s going to be there and what they’re going to ask. “It helps if there are two of you so you can back each other up, but you don’t want to outnumber them,” Doyle adds.

For all that, it’s impossible to stay fully in control. “Sometimes you get a shock when you walk in there,” laughs Doyle. “Once, we were expecting four people, and when the two of us arrived there were about 20 people there.” You can’t be fazed by it. Any one of those people could hold the keys to your next job. “You just have to give them what they want,” says Doyle.

The history of Photoshop

The next time you fire up your copy of Photoshop, spare a thought for the scores of developers and the reams of code that have gone into making it…

While you won’t find it printed on any calendar, 2005 marks a quiet anniversary for the program that you, and many other graphic designers, probably use the most. It was 15 years ago in February that Adobe shipped version 1.0 of Photoshop – still its most popular (and lucrative) application, and possibly the only bit of software to have spawned its own verb form.

But the true origins of Photoshop go back even further. The program whose splash screen now displays 41 names was originally the product of just two brothers, Thomas and John Knoll, as fascinated by technology as they were by art. It was a trait they’d inherited from their father, a photography buff with his own personal darkroom in the basement and a penchant for early home computers.

Thus Thomas dabbled with photography, learning about colour correction and contrast in the darkroom, while John happily tinkered with his dad’s Apple II computer. When their dad – clearly an early adopter – bought one of the first Macs on the market in 1984, both were bowled over by its capabilities. Yet ironically it was its frustrating inadequacies that would eventually lead to the multi-million dollar application sitting on nearly everyone’s hard drive today.

In the beginning
By 1987, John Knoll was working at Industrial Light and Magic – Lucasfilm’s nascent special effects division, founded for Star Wars – while Thomas was studying for his Ph.D. on image processing at the University of Michigan. Having just bought a brand-new Apple Mac Plus to help out with his thesis, he was dismayed to find it couldn’t display greyscale images on the monochrome monitor. So, in true hacker style, he set about writing his own code to do the job.

Unsurprisingly, John was also working on image processing at ILM, and during a holiday visit he became very impressed with Thomas’s progress. In the book CG 101: A Computer Graphics Industry Reference, John says: “As Tom showed me his work, it struck me how similar it was to the image-processing tools on the Pixar [a custom computer used at ILM].” Thus the pair began to collaborate on a larger, more cohesive application, which they dubbed – excitingly – Display.

It wasn’t long before John had bought a new colour Macintosh II and persuaded Thomas to rewrite Display to work in colour. Indeed, the more John saw of Display, the more features he began to ask for: gamma correction, loading and saving other file formats, and so on.

Although this work distracted Thomas from his thesis, he was quite happy to oblige. He also developed an innovative method of selecting and affecting only certain parts of the image, as well as a set of image-processing routines – which would later become plug-ins. A feature for adjusting tones (Levels) also emerged, along with controls for balance, hue and saturation. These were the defining features of Photoshop, but at the time, it was almost unthinkable to see them anywhere outside of specialist processing software in a lab – or at ILM.

By 1988, Display had become ImagePro and was sufficiently advanced that John thought they might have a chance at selling it as a commercial application. Thomas was reluctant: he still hadn’t finished his thesis, and creating a full-blown app would take a lot of work. But once John had checked out the competition, of which there was very little, they realised ImagePro was way ahead of anything currently available.

From ImagePro to Photoshop
Thus the search began for investors. It didn’t help that Thomas kept changing the name of the software, only to find a name was already in use elsewhere. No one is quite sure where the name ‘Photoshop’ originally came from, but legend has it that it was suggested by a potential publisher during a demo, and just stuck. Incidentally, splash screens from very early versions show the name as ‘PhotoShop’ – which seems far more in line with today’s craze for ExTraneous CapitaliSation.

Remarkably in retrospect, most software companies turned their corporate noses up at Photoshop, or were already developing similar applications of their own. Only Adobe was prepared to take it on, but a suitable deal wasn’t forthcoming. Eventually, though, a scanner manufacturer called Barneyscan decided to bundle it with its scanners, and a small number of copies went out under the name Barneyscan XP.

Fortunately for the future of digital imaging, this wasn’t a long-term deal, and John soon returned to Adobe to drum up more interest. There he met Russell Brown, then Art Director, who was highly impressed with the program and persuaded the company to take it on. Whether through naivety on Adobe’s part or canniness on the brothers’, Photoshop was not sold wholesale but only licensed and distributed, with royalties still going to the Knolls.

It wasn’t as if this deal meant the Knoll brothers could sit back and relax; if anything, they now had to work even harder on getting Photoshop ready for an official, 1.0 version release. Thomas continued developing all the main application code, while John contributed plug-ins separately, to the dismay of some of the Adobe staff who viewed these as little more than gimmicks.

Curiously, this attitude still remains among some purists, who claim that most Photoshop plug-ins are somehow ‘cheating’ and not be touched under any circumstances, while others swear by their flexibility and power when used properly.

As in the program’s formative days, there were always new features to be added, and somehow Thomas had to make time to code them. With the encouragement of John, Russell Brown – soon to become Photoshop’s biggest evangelist – and other creatives at Adobe, the application slowly took shape. It was finally launched in February 1990.

Digital imaging for everyone
This first release was certainly a success, despite the usual slew of bugs. Like the Apple of today, Adobe’s key marketing decision was to present Photoshop as a mass-market, fairly simple tool for anyone to use – rather than most graphics software of the time, which was aimed at specialists.

With Photoshop, you could be achieving the same things on your home desktop Mac that were previously only possible with thousands of dollars of advanced equipment… at least, that was the implicit promise. There was also the matter of pricing. Letraset’s ColorStudio, which had launched shortly before, cost $1,995; Photoshop was less than $1,000.

With development of version 2.0 now underway, Adobe began to expand the coding staff. Mark Hamburg was taken on to add Bézier paths, while other new features included the Pen tool, Duotones, import and rasterisation of Illustrator files, plus, crucially, support for CMYK colour. This was another canny move on Adobe’s part, as it opened up the Photoshop market to print professionals for the first time. The program’s first Product Manager, Steven Guttman, started giving code names to beta versions, a practice which survives to this day. ‘Fast Eddy’ – version 2 – was launched the following year.

Until now Photoshop was still a Mac-only application, but its success warranted a version for the burgeoning Windows graphics market. Porting it was not a trivial task: a whole new team, headed by Bryan Lamkin, was brought in for the PC. Oddly, although there were other significant new features such as 16-bit file support, this iteration was shipped as version 2.5.

Like that difficult third album which can make or break a band, version 3 had to really deliver if it was to corner the market. Fortunately, the team had a whopper of an ace up their sleeve: layers.

By general consensus, the addition of layers has been the single most important aspect of Photoshop development, and probably the feature which finally persuaded many artists to try it. Yet the concept of layers wasn’t unique to Photoshop. HSC – later to become MetaCreations – was concurrently developing Live Picture, an image-editing app including just such a facility. While an excellent program in its own right, Live Picture was vastly overpriced on its launch, leaving Photoshop 3.0 for both Mac and Windows to clean up.

Nothing in later versions quite matched the layers feature for its impact, but there have nonetheless been significant changes. Version 5 introduced colour management and the History palette, with its extra ‘nonlinear history’ behaviour, which certainly opened up whole new creative possibilities. A major update, version 5.5, bundled Adobe’s package ImageReady in an entirely new iteration, giving Photoshop excellent Web-specific features. Layer styles and improved text handling popped up in version 6, and the Healing brush in version 7.

Today and tomorrow
Surprisingly given the age and market leading position of the application, Adobe continues to come up with new features for Photoshop. With Photoshop now part of the rebranded and remarketed Creative Suite 2, Adobe appears to be currently emphasising interoperability through the likes of Bridge.

But the program can’t and won’t stand still. For one thing, it faces much greater competition from a host of rivals, many of which claim to offer Photoshop’s power without the price. Lower-cost apps aimed at the amateur or home enthusiast, such as Paint Shop Pro on Windows, have had many years to learn from Photoshop. Adobe’s solution was to join them, launching the budget priced and feature-reduced but still immensely powerful Photoshop Elements – which itself has now reached version 4.

And the future? Unsurprisingly, Adobe isn’t telling. Photoshop is the jewel in its crown and its development is closely guarded. But there have been hints. Bryan Lamkin, now Senior Vice President of Digital Imaging and Digital Video, speculated earlier this year on a true 64-bit version of the application, and perhaps support for Apple’s CoreImage technology, which would bring enormous speed improvements. Rumours that Illustrator will merge with Photoshop have also abounded for years.

Whatever happens, it’s likely that Thomas Knoll will be involved in some way. Although not directly concerned with Photoshop these days, he still keeps his hand in, recently developing the Adobe Camera Raw plug-in and posting occasionally to the Adobe forums.

His brother still works at ILM too: appropriately enough, he was Visual Effects Supervisor on all three of the new Star Wars films. Without the original Star Wars, there would have been no Photoshop; and with no Photoshop, your job, this magazine and the entire graphics design industry would be very different from how they are today.

50 insider tips for illustrators

Work smarter, not harder, and keep your head above water with these tips and insights from some of the top names in the creative world…

Some of today’s hardest working illustrators take time out to share their own top 50 glistening, information-packed, gems of knowledge. Carefully mined from real-life experiences, these handpicked nuggets will add an insider edge to getting on in your career. Get the low-down on starting up your own studio, promoting your work, the pros and cons of agents, getting that portfolio working effectively, winning clients and new business, pricing jobs, inspiration and collaborations, and how to structure your working week to fit it all in…

Part 1: Getting started in illustration

1 An education in illustration
Many illustrators swear by the education they received as full-time art school students, while many others maintain ‘learning on the job’ is the best route. Steve Wilson, graduate of the University of Brighton Illustration BA course, notes, “I made loads of mistakes when starting out – there’s a lot that can’t be taught, you have to do it in practice…”

2 Putting education into practice
Picking your own way through the minefield that is contemporary illustration practice isn’t easy. McFaul, himself a graduate of Kingston University’s illustration undergraduate course declares, “Although the education I received was second to none, I’m still under the impression that those of us that left education at that time were dropped off in the middle of nowhere blindfolded!” Watch out for the pitfalls.

3 The highs and the lows
Life as an illustrator can be rewarding one day and frustrating the next. Although it’s demanding being your own boss, it’s also an attractive lifestyle. JAKe, illustrator, cartoonist and animator, explains: “I haven’t had a ‘real’ job for ten years – I’d find the structure too hard. One of the highs of life as an illustrator is that there’s nobody telling me what time to get out of bed!” Create a daily structure that works for you.

4 Working from home
Setting up a studio to work out of is a crucial first step. If resources are low, your first studio may well be where you live. Jody Barton, illustrator with Big Active, having left his urban London lifestyle for a rural one, describes his space: “Two wobbly desks, two computers and a telephone – situated in the middle of nowhere. From my window I can see a truck on the way to the slaughterhouse.”

5Your first studio
You’ll know when the time has come to set up your own studio away from where you live, because you’ll have problems: a partner demanding the spare bedroom back for visiting guests or the kitchen table heaving under the weight of a Mac, monitor, scanner, printer and other kit. You can’t set up your own studio until finances allow, but make sure you do it before it starts to affect everyone that you live with…

6 Turning a hobby into a job
Why work in illustration when it can appear such a haphazard career choice? Jon Burgerman, illustrator and king of doodles, admits, “It can feel isolating, but it turns your hobby into a job.” McFaul, however, goes a little harder on his advice for aspiring illustrators: “Think lifestyle, not job.” Get involved in illustration because you love doing it, not because it appears a smart career move. Jody Barton states: “Make work that is your own, not what you think will get you a big fizzy drinks ad campaign!”

7 Ask for advice
Seek advice from those who have already set up a studio, ask questions of internet service providers and telephone companies, and view a number of rental spaces before you make a final decision. “My working environment,” explains Michael Gillette, based in San Francisco, “is a small cramped room, although I am moving to a new larger studio. I’ve always worked in chaotic places, but it doesn’t seem to affect my work.”

8 Technology – keep learning
Understanding software and hardware issues is a necessity. Become friends with a technical whizz-kid or learn how to keep your kit performing in tip-top condition yourself. The pros outweigh the cons of the digital era, as far as Michael Gillette is concerned: “The flexibility of illustration in the digital age is a huge bonus,” he states. “It allowed me to move from the UK to the US, after all.”

9 The taxman and the accountant
Enlist the services of a good accountant, one that understands the creative industries. Ian Wright, the London-based innovator, admits that his accountant has “bailed me out many times – he could be the key to my survival!” JAKe also advocates being organised from the outset although he admits to being a little lax: “For me it’s receipts in a shoe box until I really have to look at it!”

10 The software police
Don’t get prosecuted. Be street legal and avoid the temptation of using anything other than legit software. Update regularly, although in most cases you can skip every other version to save funds, and keep abreast of new software developments by reading magazine reviews and trying 30-day demos.

Part 2: Finding work

1 Issues, ideas and strategies
Decide what self-promotion methods work for you but, whatever you choose, avoid annoying the people you’re marketing to. Some illustrators advocate simple procedures: Patrick Thomas of Studio laVista, based in Barcelona, suggests simply, “Do every job as well as you possibly can – that’s the best way to promote yourself.” Jon Burgerman agrees: “The best self-promotion is doing great work and getting it seen.”

2 Portfolio do’s and don’ts
Your portfolio is a valuable tool, so prepare it well, keep it organised and look after it. Anthony Burrill, designer/illustrator, offers useful advice: “Keep it simple, with a good mixture of self-initiated and actual commissions. Make it look professional – good quality print-outs on decent paper.” Steve Wilson suggests, “Put your hand in your pocket and invest in leather – your book, after all, will be going to big ad agencies competing against other illustrators’ portfolios for the same job.”

3 Online portfolios
Every illustrator needs a web-based portfolio, perhaps even more useful than a leather-bound one for reaching a wider audience. Richard May, co-founder of Pixelsurgeon and Black Convoy, reckons, “Better 20 large images than 60 tiny ones.” He adds, “Make sure that the presentation does your work justice – keep it simple and to the point.”

4 Attitude and commitment
Ian Wright advises hitting the streets and seeing lots of potential clients with your work: “Take notice of their reaction to your work, don’t be afraid to ask for advice – we were all new to the profession once.” Patrick Thomas offers clear-cut thinking: “Be prepared to work bloody hard if you’re going to get anywhere.” And Anthony Burrill quotes from one of his own letterpress selfpromotional posters: “WORK HARD AND BE NICE TO PEOPLE!”

5 Keeping contacts
Get a good database application or get used to using a digital address book and spend time keeping it up to date, because it’ll easily take up huge chunks of time later if you don’t. Miles Donovan of Peepshow explains his own procedures: “All my contacts are on my Mac and iPod and are regularly updated and backed up – all important!” Peepshow’s work-experience folk “phone around asking for names and emails of art directors, which is handy,” admits Miles.

6 Winning clients and business
There is no magic formula for getting the job, nor a wand to wave to ensure success. It can be down to luck, but more often it’s down to graft and persistence. Ensuring that your work is visible and is being seen by the right people at the right companies that are in a position to commission will help. Original work that is both brilliantly executed and communicates clearly will find admirers.

7 How to pitch
There are occasions when a phone call from an art director puts you in an interesting position. He/she explains that the agency is doing a pitch for a client and if it comes off, there will be stacks of work for you, all very well paid naturally. However, they need you to work frantically non-stop for 48 hours to win the pitch and can barely offer you £200. Think carefully about what to do.

8 Agents – pros and cons
There are so many factors for and against getting an agent, but the bottom line is that a great agent can get you work that you wouldn’t have time to chase or even know of its existence. “My agents in New York,” explains McFaul, “are worth their weight in gold, but I’m also very proactive myself.” Miles Donovan agrees: “They find work you wouldn’t normally get, command higher fees and offer support if things go wrong.”

9 Be aware of industry developments
Being aware of what’s happening in the design world is crucial, and keeping abreast of recent projects by other illustrators through news and reviews in magazines will help too. Checking sites such as Design Observer and Pixelsurgeon on a regular basis will ensure that you’re constantly up to date. These activities shouldn’t be a chore; they’re valuable research.

10 Successful meetings
Arrive early at a business meeting and make sure you’ve done your homework: know who you’re seeing and familiarise yourself with the client’s recent work. Large design and advertising agencies make this easy for you by having their press releases bound and in their reception areas. Be organised, take a notebook and pen to the meeting and ask questions if you’re unsure. Be well groomed too – appearance does count.

Part 3: Managing your projects

1 What makes a great idea?
Knowing how to recognise a strong idea takes time and experience, although being aware of when your creative thinking is not up to scratch is a good start. A great idea will communicate your message without the need to talk it through. Remember, you won’t be there to explain your illustration to everyone who views it! Richard May’s straight-talking advice about how to recognise a strong concept is: “You just know!”

2 How and when to get ideas
There’s no sure-fire, tried-and-tested method that will guarantee you’ll always get a great idea, but that uncertainty and buzz you’ll get from the pressure of having to come up with one is quite some drive. JAKe, from his studio in East London, reflects: “On a good day, it feels like they come out of nowhere – just sketchbook and pencil and start loosening up and see what happens...”

3 From beer mat to mood board
Illustrators’ visuals/roughs vary as much as there are styles and ways of working. There is no rule-of-thumb to help here. Experience will determine how much work you’ll need to undertake to get your idea across. Some art directors demand a high level of finish, others are happy to have a chat on the phone or via email and then let you go straight to artwork. Decide what’s best for your own way of working.

4 The importance of originality
To survive in illustration, you need to offer a unique take on the world around you – it’s your own visual language that will get the respect and the work from commissioning art directors. “There are far too many illustrators and designers churned out of colleges,” states Patrick Thomas. “You are competing in a very strange environment against a huge number of talented and determined people,” adds Jody Barton. “Make your own work!”

5 Making life a little easier
Having a game plan, understanding where you are right now and where you would like to be in 12 months’ time can help dramatically. Plan carefully, structuring your week and your month in detail. Decide when you’re going to make appointments to see potential clients, and when you’re going to spend time updating your website. Michael Gillette recalls advice given to him by another illustrator: “What have you done today to show the world that you exist?”

6 Getting the price right
When putting a price on your work it’s important not to panic. You can always take some time out to think about it. If you’re offered a fee over the phone, ask for five minutes to have a think about it and say that you’ll call back. Use your five minutes wisely: sum up against your previous experience, check against previous commissions to ensure that the fee seems fair. You can even make a phone call to another illustrator if you need a second opinion. If asked to name a price, you can always put the boot on the other foot and ask what the budget is – every job has a budget!

7 When to work for free
Nothing upsets illustrators more than discussion about free work. JAKe says: “You wouldn’t ask a plumber to fix a leaky tap for free… ‘It’ll look good in your portfolio, maate!’” Michael Gillette agrees: “Only do free work for charities – it devalues the whole industry if you do it for clients, so don’t do it.” Patrick Thomas, guided by his principles, states: “A job that has no production budget is simply not worth doing. I don’t regard making a piece of work against war, for example, as a ‘job’ – I consider it a moral obligation.”

8 How to command the best fees
Advice about commanding top dollar for your work varies from illustrator to illustrator. Jody Barton advises that it’s wise to keep in mind exactly what you do: “You are a professional, mostly with a qualification and sooner or later you’ll have bills to pay. Never ever charge less than £100 per day and, of course, much of the work you undertake will demand somewhat higher fees.”

9 Sticking to deadlines
Late nights working against the clock, working throughout the week and then straight through the weekend into the following week – illustration is rarely a nine-to-five existence, because some projects demand high levels of input to meet the deadline. Your professionalism is not only judged by your output, but also by your ability to deliver on time. “To miss a deadline for press is inconceivable,” stresses Patrick Thomas.

10 Delivering the goods
Whether it’s being available on the end of a phone or answering emails within a reasonable length of time, communicating regularly with your clients all helps ensure that you come across as a professional. If you want to work for a client a second time, make sure that their experience of working with you is a positive one. This isn’t rocket science, just common sense.

Part 4: Creative thinking

1 Research and development
Illustration isn’t an exact science: each illustrator has his or her own approaches to making images. However it works for you, it pays dividends to occasionally reflect upon your own working methods and processes. McFaul describes his creative process as follows: “Draw, paint, cut, scribble, splash, scan, photograph, coffee, phone calls, email, draw, paint, manipulate, stare out of window, laugh, fiddle, scan, manipulate, go out, come back, scan.”

2 Looking and learning
All work and no play makes an illustrator a dull boy or girl. Creative meanderings or visual wanderings off the beaten track can add untold pleasures to an illustrator’s archives and collections. Inspiration can come from anywhere: a colour combination spotted and photographed for later perusal, a torn discarded scrap of paper with part of a photographic image smudged but with a unique visual language. Be on a constant look-out for inspiration.

3 A life outside illustration
It isn’t healthy spending all of your time submerged in the discipline. It takes dedication and long working hours, but you need to emerge once in a while and live the rest of your life. Michael Gillette keeps his head out of illustration for references and inspiration: “I like old 19th century stuff at the moment – it’s better to be inspired by an esoteric reference than a contemporary one.”

4 Iconic inspiration
For most people, there are key illustrations that define moments in their lives. It might be an album or CD sleeve: The Beatles Revolver or Radiohead’s OK Computer, for example, or a Martin Sharpe psychedelic poster or book jackets for Penguin classics. Whatever they are, these are important images that mark moments in our lifetime. As illustrators, we dream of creating iconic works – enjoy the dream!

5 Addictive illustration
Never satisfied, illustrators are constantly on the prowl for the next fix. Getting a job is a great high, and doing the job is another head rush; but like a junkie constantly demanding another fix, illustrators constantly strive to get their work into new fields. Ambitious illustrators yearn for an array of canvasses – Austin at NEW (also a Black Convoy member) wants it all: “More collaborations, more live illustration, painting, exhibitions, publishing and chaos!”

6 Collaborative projects
Working with other creatives opens up new possibilities and connections. “Sometimes it’s all peaches and cream, sometime it’s chalk and cheese – but it’s all good…” explains Austin. McFaul, a Cofounder of Black Convoy, has his own take: “It’s an educational experience that can open up many avenues, you can benefit from the opinions of others.” Neasden Control Centre agrees: “It’s healthy and keeps you fresh.”

7 Risk as a learning process
Stepping into the unknown, creatively, can give you a boost. Ensuring that the repetitive process of commission, creation, delivery and invoice is injected with moments of madness is important in remaining open to new ideas. Jon Burgerman explains a recent project: “I’m working with a Danish artist, Sune Ehlers, on Hello Duudle books. I’ve never actually met or even spoken to Sune, but the process of bouncing JPEGs over email yields new ideas…”

8 Playing around with new ideas
As well as working with others, it’s important to retain aspects of the ‘art school’ experience to your working methods. Take time out of commissions to make new things and use this time to really explore new ways of working. Bring new processes to your working pattern – if you normally draw from photographs, draw only from life; if you always create colours purely in Photoshop, scan lush colours hand-painted on watercolour paper… Keep experimenting.

9 Managing your time
Everything you do takes longer than you think. Watching the clock and wondering when you can ‘clock off’ is not an option for an illustrator – you are more likely to spend time wishing the clock wasn’t rushing ahead so quickly. With deadlines to meet and clients phoning, emailing and general everyday workflow issues, it really is sensible to map out your working day, and even working week, to stay ahead of the game.

10 Get into a routine
Have a structure to your day. Organise your time well, answer emails and open post at the start of every day, then get down to being creative. Anthony Burrill, illustrator/ designer, explains why a structure helps his creative flow: “During the day I make and receive countless calls and emails. I am addicted to email but sometimes have to turn it off to get rid the distraction.” It pays to recognise good working practice.

Part 5: Career development

1 Don’t sell your soul
It’s important that you enjoy what you do. Anthony Burrill, when asked about the lows of working in illustration, states: “I can’t think of any.” Others are more reflective: McFaul doesn’t enjoy “the solitude” and Richard May warns that “cash-flow can be a huge problem if you’re not careful”, but Neasden reckons “there are no lows.” Only ‘do’ illustration if you feel a passion for the activity…

2 Job satisfaction
“Saying no and turning down work, and the money, can make you feel great, in charge,” states Ian Wright. Why would you say no when it can take forever to even be asked to undertake a commission? Michael Gillette explains why he says no: “When I get a sinking feeling when reading the brief and realise that doing the job will make me feel like a lesser artist.” Although he adds honestly, “This is sometimes negated by the need for cash.”

3 Giving something back
Away from the screen, the phone and the solitude, many illustrators enjoy a regular teaching slot working with students. “Teaching reminds me why I wanted to be an illustrator in the first place,” admits Ian Wright. Austin at NEW states: “I think it’s healthy. I like discussing ideas and meeting people who are excited at the prospect of doing something new, describing their world.” Jon Burgerman gives lectures: “They make me take stock of what I’ve actually done,” he says.

4 Getting a job in education
Interested in getting involved in some teaching? Start by getting a CV together and samples of work and send them to courses at foundation and undergraduate level. Explain in a covering letter why you’d like to get involved, offer to give a professional practice lecture to students about your own experiences, perhaps start by contacting the very course you studied on – after all, you’re a success story, aren’t you?

5 Building your profile
Some illustrators crave recognition by their peers. For many it isn’t enough to see their work in print regularly and they look to other methods and means of spreading their gospel. Speaking at conferences and live events, posting comments on discussion boards, writing to magazines and sending in press releases containing new work are all ways of getting your work in front of more people, but don’t overdo it – too much and it turns people off.

6 Maintaining your profile
Keeping clients aware of your latest work is a fundamental aspect of good marketing. A regular email newsletter with information about recent projects will keep people informed. Again, too much and it’ll have the opposite effect. “It kind of puts me off when I see people really hyping themselves,” states JAKe. McFaul has his own advice: “If your website doesn’t have a firm handshake then the commissioner will be shaking the hands of others…”

7 Extra-curricular activities
Careers in illustration are broader than ever. McFaul thinks that the edges more blurred: “Boundaries between illustrators, photographers, designers, animators and artists are long gone,” The list of potential outputs continues to increase too. “I now like to do more of my own work,” explains Miles Donovan of Peepshow, “and then find an outlet for it. I just spent a month doing my own thing and then sold the lot to a T-shirt company in Japan.”

8 Eat, drink, breathe illustration
Hard work and determination will pay off, but only if you have raw talent and a visual language that combines creativity, communication and, above all, originality to a high level. If you’re still at art school right now, use your time wisely: use the facilities and expertise to their breaking point, because you’ll never get another chance. If you’re out and working in illustration, ask yourself, “Am I giving it 100 per cent? Do I want this more than anything?”

9 Advice from those who know
It may be tough, but remember a few pearls of wisdom on dark days. “Try to keep a handle on what you enjoy about the process of image-making,” offers Jody Barton. “Don’t do anything half-heartedly,” adds Austin at NEW. Patrick Thomas at laVista believes, “Your own projects and sketchbooks will feed your commercial work and help keep you sane.” Finally, Miles Donovan warns: “Don’t let the computer dictate what you do!” Wise words indeed.

10 The last word
Illustration may be your entire world, but remember it isn’t for everyone. “Keep things in perspective,” Ian Wright argues. “Being paid to be creative isn’t essential to the world’s survival!”

INFO

This tutorial appeared in Computer Arts Projects
Issue 79
Christmas 2005

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